Typewriting machine



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Patented Apr. 28, 1942 TYPEWRITING MACHINE Bernard J. Dowd and Henry J. Hart, West Hartford, Conn., assignors to Royal Typewriter Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application September 1, 1939, Serial Divided and this application May 13, 1941, Serial No. 393,256

(c1. wvl-1st) 11 Claims.

This invention relates to typewriting or the like machines and more particularly to constructions of such machines adapted to minimize or eliminate unequal type impression spacing. This application is a division of our copending application, Serial Number 293,124, filed September 1, 1939.

Even well built typewriters capable oi performing eiiiciently and with well-equalized letter spacing when operated on solid desks or other supports are subject to producing unequal letterspacing when supported on shaky, unstable desks or tables subject to vibration. Great diiiiculty heretofore has been encountered in trying to overcome such uneven letter-spacing, particularly in connection with long carriage machines.

An object of the invention is to provide a typewriter or like machine so constructed as to minimize or eliminate the uneven letter-spacing heretofore resulting from vibrations or shocks induced by machine operation, particularly when the machine is not very rigidly supported.

Heretofore, somewhat unsuccessful attempts have been made to minimize uneven letter-spacing by interposing cushions or rubber or felt between the machine main frame and the desk, table or other support. We have found that uneven letter-spacing may be successfully minimized and in many cases eliminated by providing for oating movements of parts interposed between the carriage and the main frame. Accordingly, another object is to provide a typewriter or like machine structure in which means, preferably resilient, interposed between the main frame and other parts determlning or controlling the letter-spacing movement of the carriage permits iioating of such other parts with respect to the main frame.

Another object is to provide a resilient connection between a main frame and a track rail supported on the frame, the connection being yieldable to permit floating of the rail with respect to the frame so as to prevent shocks or vibrations incident to machine operation from l torn track rail, and rubber block cushioning connection; and

Figure 4 is a perspective View of a rubber block cushion.

The invention may be embodied in typewriting or like machines of various kinds, Figure 1 showing the invention as being incorporated in a long-carriage Royal typewriter including a main frame A and a carriage B mounted for longiiudinal letter-spacing movements on the frame under the control of an escapement mechanism generally designated C.

The frame A includes as parts thereof two end extension brackets l secured to the frame casting by screws 2 2. The brackets i are provided at their outer ends with outer pads 3 3 and at their inner ends adjacent the frame casting are formed with inner pads fr A bottom track rail 5 is formed with end pads 6 6 which rest upon the frame end pads 3 3, and with intermediate pads 1 1 which rest upon the frame pads 4 4. The rail 5 is connected to the main frame in a manner to be described which permits t to move horizontally with respect to the frame.

The carriage shown is of conventional construction, and includes end plates 8 8 and a carriage rail l0 supported on the frame rail 5 through the medium of balls H. The carriage is urged in the direction of the arrow b, i. e., to the left, as viewed in Figure 1, by a draw band i4 connected to the carriage and peripherally engaging and being anchored to a spring drum I5 journaled on the main frame as at I.

The escapement mechanism C is of known construction and includes an escapement frame I9 mounted on the bottom rail 5, a rocker 2Q, a movable dog 2l, a dog 22, an escapement wheel 23, and a pinion 24 cooperating with a rack 25 supported on the carriage.

In accordance with the invention, the framemounted rail 5 is supported for horizontal movements on the frame and is connected to the frame in such manner as to be oatingly positioned horizontally with respect to the frame. Each frame end pad 3 is provided with an opening 26 which receives with clearance a shouldered screw stud 21. The dimension of the opening 26 in the direction of longitudinal carriage movement and transversely thereto is greater than the corresponding dimension of the shank of the stud 21, so as to permit longitudinal shifting of the stud shank in the opening 26. A plate washer 3B interposed between the stud head and the bottom of the pad 3 anchors the rail against vertical movement. The washer te just touches the bottom of the pad 3 without binding, so that the rail may move longitudinally of the direction of carriage travel. A similar shouldered screw stud connection is provided between the inner bracket pads and the inner rail pads These connections respectively comprise a screw stud 52 having a shank extending through an opening 35 in the frame pad 4 and a plate washer 55 interposed between the screw head and the pad li.

As previously stated, it has been found that permitting the frame rail 5 to float horizontally from a neutral position in both directions 'longitudinally of the rail under the influence of shocks or vibrations caused by machine operation very desirably minimizes or eliminates uneven letterspacing heretofore resulting from such shocks or vibrations, particularly when the machine is operated on an unstable desk or other support. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure l, cushioning elements generally designated D4-D4 are connected between the main frame and the bottom track rail 5 for positioning the latter iioatingly with respect to the main frame. Each element D4 comprises a coiled compression spring interposed between an upstanding spring abutment 66 formed on the associated bracket I and a spring seat el formed in the adjacent outer end of the rail 5. The actions of the cushioning elements D4 are mutually opposed so as iicatingly to position the rail 5 horizontally on theY frame. It will be observed that each spring D4 is interposed between abutments on the frame and rail respectively, the abutments having spring engaging surfaces extending transversely to the line of iioating of the rail.

In the form shown in Figure 2, the rail 5 is mounted on the frame i and held against vertical movenient in a manner similar to that described in connection with Figure l. The bracket l is formed with a recess 68, and a spring seat 69 Xed to the bottom of the rail 5 projects downwardly into the recess intermediate the spaced end walls of the recess. Coil spring cushioning elements D5 interposed between the spring seat 69 and the recess end walls, which serve as spring abutments, position the rail 5 for horizontal iloating movements.

In the form shown in Figures 3 and 4, a projection it formed integrally with the rail 5 extends down into the recess St in the frame bracket i. Rubber cushioning blocks D6 interposedV between the projection 'iii and the opposite end walls of the recess 58 yieldably and floatingly position the rail 5 horizontally on the frame.

The cushioning devices in the forms shown in Figure l, in Figure 2, and in Figures 3 and a, differ from each other but in all three forms the rail 5 is fioatingly positioned longitudinally by opposed cushioning means located between cooperatively arranged abutment surfaces on the frame and the rail respectively.

The mechanisms disclosed herein for the purposes of illustration embody the invention in preferred forms, but it is apparent that changes may be made in the particular construction and arrangement oi the parts without departing from the invention as defined in the claims.

We claim:

1. In a typewriter or like machine, a main frame; a carriage; means mounting the carriage for longitudinal movement on the frame including a horizontal track rail and means mounting the track rail on the frame for normal horizontal oating movements in opposite directions longitudinally of the rail; and means normally yieldably maintaining said rail in a neutral position and being yieldable in said opposite directions longitudinally of said rail to permit oating of the rail in both said directions from said neutral position, said means including abutments on said frame having surfaces transverse to said rail, abutments on said rail having surfaces also transverse to said rail and being cooperatively arranged respectively with the abutment surfaces on said frame, and opposed cushioning means interposed between the respectively cooperatively arranged frame abutment surfaces and rail abutment surfaces.

2. In a typewriter or like machine, a main frame; a carriage; means mounting the carriage for longitudinal movement on the frarne including a horizontal track rail and means mounting the track rail on the frame for normal horizontal floating movements in opposite directions longitudinally of the rail; abutments on said frame having surfaces transverse to said rail; abutments on said rail having surfaces also transverse to said rail and being cooperatively arranged respectively with the abutment surfaces on said frame; and means for normally yieldably maintaining said rail in a neutral position and being yieldable in opposite directions longitudinally of said rail to permit floating of the rail in both said directions from said neutral position, said means comprising opposed coiled springs interposed between the respectively cooperatively arranged frame abutment surfaces and rail abutment surfaces.

3. In a 'typewriter or like machine, a main frame; a carriage; means mounting the carriage for longitudinal movement on the frame including a horizontal track rail and means mounting the track rail on the frame for normal horizontal iloating movements in opposite directions longitudinally of the rail; abutments on said frame having surfaces transverse to said rail; abutments on said rail having surfaces also transverse to said rail and being cooperatively arranged respectively with the abutment surfaces on said frame; and opposed cushioning springs inter.- posed between the respectively cooperatively arranged frame abutment surfaces and rail abutment surfaces.

4.- In a typewriter or like machine, a main frame; a carriage; means mounting the carriage for longitudinal movement on the frame including a horizontal track rail supported on the frame; abutments on said frame having surfaces transverse to said rail; abutments on said rail having surfaces also transverse to said rail and being cooperatively arranged respectively With the abutment surfaces on said frame; and rubber cushioning blocks interposed between the respectively cooperatively arranged frame abutment surfaces and rail abutment surfaces.

5. In a typewriter or like machine, a main frame; a carriage; means mounting the carriage for longitudinal movement on the frame including a track rail and means mounting the track rail on the frame for normal horizontal floating movements in opposite directions longitudinally of the rail; means for maintaining the rail at a fixed level with respect to the frame; and coiled springs interposed respectively between the end portions of the rail and said frame for nor mally yieldably maintaining said rail in a neutral position and being yieldable in opposite directions longitudinally of the rail to permit floating of the rail in both said directions from said neutral position.

6. In a typewriter or like machine, a main frame; a carriage; means mounting the carriage for longitudinal movement on the frame including a horizontal track rail; means supporting the track rail on the frame for longitudinal floating movement; and a pair of opposed coil springs each interposed between the rail and the frame and exerting force on the rail in the direction of longitudinal carriage movement to yieldably maintain said rail in a neutral position longitudinally of the frame, said springs constituting the sole means for opposing longitudinal movement of the rail on the frame.

'7. In a typewriter or like machine, a main frame; a carriage; means mounting the carriage for longitudinal movement on the frame including a horizontal track rail supported on the frame; a spring seat on the rail; spring abutments on the frame respectively on opposite sides of the spring seat in the direction of longitudinal carriage travel; and compression springs interposed between said seat and said abutments respectively.

8. In a typewriter or like machine, a main frame; a carriage; means mounting the carriage for longitudinal movement on the frame including a horizontal track rail; means supporting the track rail on the frame for longitudinal floating movement; spring abutments on the frame at opposite ends of the rail; and opposed springs interposed between said abutments and the respectively adjacent ends of the rail to yieldably maintain said rail in a neutral position longitudinally of the frame, said springs constituting the sole means for opposing longitudinal movement of the rail on the frame.

9, In a typewriter or like machine, a main frame; a carriage; means mounting the carriage for longitudinal movement on the frame including a horizontal track rail supported on the frame for sliding movement thereon in the direction of longitudinal carriage travel; means for maintaining the rail at a fixed level vertically with respect to the frame; and a resilient rubber block means interposed between the rail and the frame and being yieldable under the influence of vibrations caused by machine operation to permit horizontal oating movement of the rail on the frame.

1G. In a typewriter or like machine, a main frame; a carriage; means mounting the carriage for longitudinal movement on the frame including a horizontal track rail supported on the frame for sliding movement thereon in the direction of longitudinal carriage travel; a recess in said frame having end walls mutually spaced in the direction of longitudinal carriage travel; a projection on said rail extending into said recess intermediate said end walls; and resilient cushioning blocks in said recess between said projection and said end walls respectively.

11. In a typewriter or like machine, a main frame; a carriage; means mounting the carriage for longitudinal movement on the frame including a horizontal track rail supported on the frame for sliding movement thereon in the direction of longitudinal carriage travel; a recess in said frame having end Walls mutually spaced in the direction of longitudinal carriage travel; a spring seat on said rail extending into said recess intermediate said end walls; and resilient metallic springs in said recess between said spring seat and said end Walls respectively.

BERNARD J. DOWD. HENRY J. HART. 

